Memorial in English

We are going to walk you through the 12-hour livestream with Inna You can tune in and listen to the names of people executed under the Soviet regime, one by one. Here's the YouTube link: youtube.com/watch?v=ESzBbq… You can support Returning the Names at october29.live/support-the-pr…

Hundreds remain political prisoners in Azerbaijan Among them are independent journalists, opposition figures, human rights defenders, and religious believers. Many report violence, ill-treatment, poor conditions, and lack of adequate medical care. In February 2025, journalist Nurlan Libre (Gahramanli) was detained in connection with the Meydan TV case. More than ten people have been charged under so-called “economic” offences — a common way to pursue politically sensitive cases. Meydan TV is an independent online outlet that gives a platform to voices often excluded from public debate. All those charged deny the accusations and say the case is linked to their work. On January 16, 2026, Nurlan began an indefinite hunger strike after reporting violence by prison guards. According to his wife, his condition has significantly deteriorated: he is weak, has difficulty moving and speaking, and suffers from severe headaches. Medical care remains limited to basic checks. Journalist Fatima Movlamli, also detained in the same case, has joined the hunger strike. She began on March 8, protesting restrictions on family visits, which are only allowed through a glass barrier. Their colleagues from Meydan TV have also protested in court, calling for their right to a fair defence to be respected. We stand in solidarity with political prisoners in Azerbaijan — and recall that repression in the country has a long history, including during the Soviet period.

Several Memorial-related events are coming up across Europe — film screenings, exhibitions and discussions. They will take place in Rome, Berlin, Paris, Freiburg, and other cities in the coming weeks. Many of them focus on history, memory, and the work of Memorial. Swipe to see what’s happening and where.

What makes someone suddenly see what they refused to see for years? What becomes the point of no return — the moment when you can no longer “unsee” or “unhear” what you’ve learned? A friend’s remark, Khrushchev’s speech exposing Stalin, the deadly crush at the funeral of the “immortal leader.” March 5 marks the day of Stalin’s death. On this anniversary, we selected eyewitness accounts from the 05/03/53 project — moments when people’s views of Stalin and the Soviet regime began to shift.

Alexei Mosin, a historian from Yekaterinburg Memorial, has been sentenced to 9 days of administrative arrest. Yesterday, he laid flowers in memory of murdered politician Boris Nemtsov in central Yekaterinburg. Police detained him along with Mikhail Borisov, a former member of the Sverdlovsk regional council, and charged them under Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code (“violation of the rules for organizing a public event”). Mosin was held overnight at the police station until his court hearing. Borisov was released — as a member of an election commission with voting rights, he cannot be detained without a prosecutor’s approval. His hearing will take place later. In court, police claimed that Mosin and Borisov had effectively staged an “unauthorized rally” — because they allegedly met, spoke, and then “in an organized manner” went to lay flowers together. Mosin stated that they met by chance, and that he lays flowers at Labor Square every February 27 in memory of Nemtsov. The court nevertheless found him guilty and sentenced him to 9 days in jail.

Flowers on Nemtsov Bridge Eleven years ago, Boris Nemtsov was shot here, just steps from the Kremlin. He was one of the most prominent critics of Putin’s regime — a politician who chose opposition over silence, protest over comfort, and stayed in Russia when many others stepped aside. Today, people once again bring flowers to the place where he was killed. The memorial is dismantled again and again by the authorities. And each time, it is restored. The flowers always return. In this carousel: a brief reminder of who Boris Nemtsov was and photos from the memorial on the bridge.

How did remembering the deportation of Chechens become a crime in modern Russia? On February 23, 1944, Soviet authorities began the blanket deportation of Chechens and Ingush from the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Within days, hundreds of thousands of people were forcibly displaced. They were given almost no time to pack, loaded into cattle cars, and transported for weeks to what is now Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Families were torn apart. In brutal conditions, people fell ill and died on the way. Even more died in the first months after arrival. In 1943–1944, Soviet authorities falsely accused entire peoples of collaborating with Nazi Germany and used this as a pretext for collective punishment through blanket deportations. Residents of the regions where Chechens and Ingush were resettled were intimidated and forbidden from helping them. Seventy years later, in 2014, even discussing the deportation led to criminal prosecution. Chechen activist Ruslan Kutaev was arrested and convicted on fabricated charges. He spent several years in a penal colony for organizing a memorial conference. Today, he participates in the PACE Platform for Dialogue with Russian Democratic Forces within the Council of Europe.

24/02 Four years ago, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine — escalating the war it had started in 2014. On that day, International Memorial and the Human Rights Center Memorial released a statement: “The war unleashed against Ukraine by Putin's regime is a crime against peace and humanity. This war will remain a shameful chapter in Russian history. We are against the war with Ukraine and demand an immediate end to military actions.” Four years later, every word sounds even more urgent: hundreds of thousands killed, cities destroyed, millions displaced. This war is a crime, and it must end.

On February 17, 2026, Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office designated the International Memorial Association and Zukunft Memorial as “undesirable organizations.” Both structures were established abroad by Memorial members after Russian court liquidated the legal entity of International Memorial in 2022. They are registered outside Russia and continue their work from exile. The “undesirable” label does not only concern organizations themselves. Under Russian law, ‘cooperation’ can first lead to administrative fines. Repeated charges may result in criminal prosecution, with penalties of up to four years in prison. Organizing activities can carry higher sentences. We’ll continue following developments related to Memorial and sharing updates here. Follow us to stay informed.

The actions of vandals who systematically destroy memorial plaques on the facade of Anna Politkovskaya's house are unlikely to be directly ordered by the authorities, believes Oleg Orlov eng.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/72874

Photos and videos shared with us via Memorial’s Telegram bot.

It shows up in different cities, in different handwriting — but with the same meaning. If you’re marking Navalny’s death, you can still send us your photos and videos. We will share them.

Yesterday, in cities and countries around the world, people remembered Alexei Navalny in their own ways. We asked you to send photos and videos to our bot — and today we’re sharing some of those sent from Russia.